you can't eat during labour?? - Page 3

[whateverdidiwants]

Also, I don't know of anyone who had a nurse in the room the entire time they were in labor - I had to be hooked up to a monitor and was only checked on every hour or so (if that) because they could see the monitor readout at the nurse's station. How on earth are they going to know if you eat?

[JennieYoung44]

I really think this is less of an issue around these parts (MDC) b/c we tend to be intelligent, thinking, self-evolved, motivated, informed women. (Not to be exclusive...) And if we don't get it right the first time, we tend to make up for it in later births.

Yes, some of us, myself included, have fallen prey to these stupid hospital/birth center policies. But even I in my first birth with pre-eclampsia and induction snuck some pizza. It feels better to throw up food then to dry heave is my opinion.

But, a lot of other women do not have the resources (i mean the support and information) to carry out there own wishes, or maybe even know them. The number of stories I have heard of women too tired to push the baby out... what do you expect if you haven't eaten in 12+ hours. It saddens me to no end that so many women will never know these things. Birth should be the one thing we can share and instead it is divided into those who get it and those who just don't.

The idea that there are RULES during labor???? ARgh. It just kills me.

Sorry for the rant, Informed Birth is one of my greatest passions.

[KittyKat]

I am SO glad my CNM has spent the last ten+ years "brainwashing" the hospital nurses where I am going. They not only "allow" you to eat and drink as you wish during labor, the nurses' station has takeout menus to the local restuarants that deliver to the hospital, and will supply you with the menus when asked. Pizza, anyone?

Now, that being said I've never been very hungry during labor, but afterwards I tend to be STARVING. Hmmm...what *did* they do with that placenta?

Kathryn

[stockingup99]

Henci Goer said it, a hospitals are for surgery. You don't eat before planned surgery. They are planning on surgery, not birth.

Many of these procedures are actually harmfull. IV's dilute the hormones which baby has put into your bloodstream to create labor, so labor stops.

On your back is the worst possible position, except for the doctor.

[Quagmire]

My first birth was at a not-particularly-progressive hospital. I sent my DH out for Vietnamese food which we ate in full view of the nurses. No one said anything to me, and when the doc came in to deliver the place stunk of take out food Tough tacos!

[etoilech]

Originally Posted by MerryOne

It's pretty much standard all over the world, that you aren't allowed more that fluids when in labour, when I had ds 10 years ago where I had him (caribbean) allowed ice chips only.
And all my friends who were training were taught the same thing no matter where they went to med school

It's not standard all over the world. You can eat whenever, whatever you want here and most countries in Europe.

There is a study that was done some time ago in the Bronx where they let a group of women eat in labour and one that didn't and there were no cases of aspiration in the group that had ate, but 2 deaths in the non-eating group. I'll have to get back to you on the article. It's not new, though.

[Earth Angel]

The only reason I ate during both my births is that the MWs wanted me to. I puked both times during transition....but for sure some the food, recharge, water etc, still made it into my body, and DEFINATELY gave me energy to get my boys out

Yeah Midwives!!!

[courtenay_e]

Originally Posted by jlpolzin

It's pretty common around here.

The reason is because they don't want you to aspirate your own vomit should you need an emergency c-section with general anesthesia.

Silly, huh? What do they do with gun shot victims and people who've ruptured their spleens from car accidents? Wait until their food is digested so they can put them under before they operate so they don't have to worry about vomit aspiration? Of course not. If it happens, they deal with it.

I think this policy is insane. Deny millions of laboring women food in labor to save how many lives each year? I'm not sure, but probably less than 1.

This is high on my "why I refuse a hospital birth" list.

Actually, they intubate you if you have a general. So, you can't aspirate your vomit. And it has also been proven that you're as or more likely to vomit on an empty stomach than a full one!

So, yes, the story at the hospital is that you can't eat 'cause they're afraid you'll choke on your vomit. The reality is that, if that happened, the anesthesiologist wasn't doing their job...'cause if you're properly intubated, there isn't really a way possible to do so. It's pretty much just keeping the status quo (they didn't always intubate), and CYA...and I think, a little bit of the power thing, too...something else that the institution can control that makes you a "patient" rather than a woman giving birth!

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by KittyKat

Now, that being said I've never been very hungry during labor, but afterwards I tend to be STARVING. Hmmm...what *did* they do with that placenta?

Kathryn

LOL! Me too! I had to make myself drink during labor (with dd I was induced but ate breakfast before I went in, with ds labor started at midnight and he was born at 4:34am) but once the baby was out I was absolutely ravenous. If my labor had gone longer I'm sure I would have had to eat for the energy.

I think giving ice chips to a laboring woman is moronic, but so are most practices regarding hospital birth.

[Mybabymommy]

Yeah.....

Pregnancy equals Sick in a hopital setting. Ok, so you may throw up. Big deal.

I know "why" they say that, but tell me this.....if you are leaving the eat all buffet where you ate more than your monies worth and you get in an accident, will they not rush you to the hospital give you a general anisthisia and operate on you??

Sarah